


Just a Substitute

by annelea



Category: Naruto
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Bonding, F/M, Implied/Referenced Abortion, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rutting, Temporary Bonding, betas are rare, heat - Freeform, no knotting, relief mate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-19 18:38:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17007030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annelea/pseuds/annelea
Summary: He didn't know who she chose these days since Sasuke left again.  Relief mates were not quite friends-with-benefits, but more like a friend or acquaintance that could be relied upon when that time came around.  Relief mates expected to get laid a few times during the two weeks the woman was in heat, and to never have a child with that woman.  They didn't seek a romantic relationship, were around the same age, and sometimes even had a steady relationship that had nothing to do with the partner they were helping.





	1. I Can Give You What You Need

There was a damn good reason Genin started off only taking D-rank missions within the walls of their home village. One of the major things they had to learn had nothing to do with team work. It had nothing to do with getting a dose of humbleness. Tamping down over eager, over enthusiastic energy wasn't even the major thing. Most Genin didn't even know what the lesson was despite learning the answer.

Kakashi was glad Naruto had learned this lesson fast. He was used to knowing when to duck and cover, even wearing that horrid color. Figuring this out wasn't too hard for him.

It took Sasuke some time to understand what was happening. He never could quite cover up all the traces, and thus kept Sakura's interest piqued more often than he should have.

Sakura learned from the boys first. She didn't experience it until later, which was odd considering girls usually had to deal with it before boys. Still, she learned, and Naruto backed off.  
Right now, he wondered what in the hell Sakura was thinking. Why hadn't she packed supplies? Why had she even taken this mission with him? She knew her heat would trigger his rut. It was biology.

All men went into rut once they were sexually mature, always triggered by a woman in heat. All women experienced a heat about once every three to five months depending on their system. After five or six years, a woman's body leveled out into a predictable pattern; covering up the scent change and knowing when to start symptom suppression took some time to learn, but was achieved through any number of means. Soaps, deoderants, perfumes, pills, and injections were all available means to both men and women to suppress the signs and symptoms of heats and ruts, allowing them to function as normal as possible. The use of these items was a must for shinobi like them. They were produced and priced in such a way as so even the most poor could afford them or even pick them up for free from a donation center.

So why the hell was Sakura smelling so good right now? Why did he feel the need to go hold her close in bed for a while? Did she really just forget?

For the second time that day, he tore his eyes away from her, ignoring the urge, and kept walking forward.

Taking the actual road was her idea. She said she was too worn out after jogging every day this past week to keep up with the caravan they had been protecting. She just needed to walk for a bit, then she'd be alright again.

Instead, they had been walking for five hours. At this point, even he was getting tired of walking. It was probably time they stopped to eat something.

_I want to eat her..._

Kakashi stopped and took a breath, looking away over the countryside to the right. That was not an appropriate thought. Sakura had a daughter waiting on her back home, a daughter whose father wasn't really around... ever.

Yet, Sakura still claimed to love Sasuke. Maybe it was because he was her main crush as a kid, then her first mate. Sasuke did take good enough care of her while she was pregnant, always making sure she had a bed to sleep on, food when he and Naruto didn't, and a clean place with another medic around to give birth. He was a good mate to her, but a bad father. It wasn't uncommon for such things to happen. What was odd was that she chose to keep the baby instead of aborting. Unless they were married to their mate, kunoichi rarely kept the children they conceived in heat.

_Would she keep mine, too?_

Ignoring these thoughts that kept intruding, he looked back to her where she had stopped some distance ahead, staring back at him. "I think we should rest for a bit."

"Good idea," Sakura replied, walking back a little to find a good shade tree to sit under. "We have enough water for another day, but we need to find a source before then."

"There's a stream another hour's walk ahead," Kakashi informed. They were taking a different rout home than they had on the way out. She wasn't familiar with this area, but he had been through here enough times to memorize the water ways and major towns. "We don't have to worry. There will be plenty more spots."

"Actually, can we just get up to the stream?" she questioned hopefully. "We both need to clean up."

"Sure," he nodded, reaching out to help her back to her feet.

Sakura didn't miss the way his hand lingered on hers, but said nothing of it. Instead, she took a long drag off her primary water bottle and started walking again.  
They kept on in silence, both grateful that the wind had changed direction. Her scent wasn't being blown straight into his nose any longer. As long as they didn't walk side-by-side, he could keep that lechrous little voice out of his mind a bit easier. But it was too late already. There was a tightness in his chest, his heart beat was already faster, he was sweatting and feeling like her touch was the only thing that could calm all of this.

He needed a minute alone. He would just go wash a little ways down stream of her, jerk one off, then take a suppression tab. It woulsn't stop him from scenting her, or even the little voice in his head telling him to just rush up and take what he wanted, but it would ease his blood pressure, help him keep from tenting his pants, and stop his rut sweat. She wouldn't smell his response, wouldn't see his pupils dialate beyond what was reasonable for the daylight when he looked at her, wouldn't have to act like she didn't see the change in his pants as they walked along. They'd make it home and she could go find an acceptable mate.

He didn't know who she chose these days since Sasuke left again. Relief mates were not quite friends-with-benefits, but more like a friend or acquaintance that could be relied upon when that time came around. Relief mates expected to get laid a few times during the two weeks the woman was in heat, and to never have a child with that woman. They didn't seek a romantic relationship, were around the same age, and sometimes even had a steady relationship that had nothing to do with the partner they were helping. Kakashi had been there for Kurenai when Asuma wasn't around. Of course, Asuma had to approve him first, as was customary.  
Kakashi wondered if Sakura had gotten Sasuke's approval of her relief mate. They weren't married, so it wasn't an obligation.

_It's none of my damn business._

Finally, his thoughts were taking the right shape.

They made their way off the road a ways down stream, following the stream down a rocky path to a small set of stepped water falls. Of course, going this way meant that one of them had to be down wind of the other again. Kakashi chose to lead. He reasoned that it was because he already knew this spot and where the good parts were to get rinsed off.  
He took her to the second spot then turned around to go back up stream to where he wanted to be, which was up wind. The less chance he had of scenting her, the easier he would get this out of his system and keep it out. He had just taken his suppression tab and pulled his mask back up when she came back up the hill. She was cleaner, but she still looked irritated. He let her lead the way back up to the road, then realized what she hadn't done.

She had bathed, used scentless soaps, changed her clothes, refilled her water stores... But she had done nothing to suppress her heat. He knew because he could smell it again by the time they got back to the road.

Sighing, Kakashi put his pack down and dug out his own soap. He didn't have anything to help her with her symptoms, but he could at least keep her from turning on every guy along the way, himself included. He offered her the small pouch of liquid with a question.

"Why didn't you pack anything for this?"

"I've developed an allergy to the oral and injected suppressors since having Sarada," she sighed, thankfully taking the offered soap. "And I ran out of scent blocking soaps and lotions yesterday."

"Why didn't you get any at the last town?"

"I was saving my money to buy Yamato-taichou a birthday gift. We were supposed to be home two days ago. If that jerk didn't decide to make the detour this wouldn't have happened."

"You should have said something to me. I have enough soap for both of us at least. Go wash again."

Sakura nodded, then took off back down the water way. Kakashi couldn't believe she had agreed to take a mission with a man and not pack extra supplies for this scenario. She and Tenten could have worked together on a differend mission while he went with a male partner for this one instead. What she had done was careless.

By the time she returned again, Kakashi had a small fire going and some water heating beside it. He pulled out a package of dried vanilla pudding and poured it in, knowing she'd appreciate the treat more than he would. He always gave the sweets in his pre-packed meals to the women he worked with, taking their more spicy ones in return. He stirred it and set it off to the side while she dug out a package of cinnimon candies to toss at him, keeping the trade even.

They sat in silence, eating and resting, the heat of the afternoon sun and the small fire bringing them to sweat again pretty quickly. Even in the shade of the tree, the humidity by the stream made things uncomfortable.

"We should find someplace cooler to camp for the night," Sakura suggested.

"Good luck with that," Kakashi looked down the road. "It turns into wetlands not far up. Unless you plan on sleeping in a tree, this is going to be our best spot. We should stay here and get a fresh start in the morning."

"How much farther until we get to another town?"

"Three hours at a dead run."

"Shit."

"Yeah. You're going to have to stay down wind."

"I planned on it. Sorry about earlier. I wasn't thinking."

"No. You weren't." He pinned her with a glare. "Now, we're both compromised. The soap only works if you don't sweat off all the scent blockers. It can't help now."

"But you have your tablets, right?"

"They only do so much."

Sakura sighed, upset with herself. Her appetite backed off. She eyed the pudding he'd set asside for her. She wanted it, but she couldn't stomach it right this moment. She had betrayed his trust and hadn't confided in him. If he had known, he would have picked a different rout home, a less diret, but less humid way.

"Eat it, you need the calories," he ordered.  
.

...................................................................................

.

Kakashi had summoned his ninkin to guard them for the night, intending on having them both get as much rest as possible. They were going to push for the next town so that she could get everything she could to tone down her heat. Alternatives to the most common heat suppressant were readily available in ninja villages and large cities, but hard to come by in the rural areas. They had only been on the market for about six years.

Kakashi still woke up well before dawn.

Sakura was trying to hide it, but it was obvious what she was doing. She needed her relief mate, her heat coming into full swing now. She was trying to take care of things herself despite knowing it wouldn't work. She needed the enzymes from seamen to give her any sort of extended rest.

With the wind no longer blowing over them, he could smell her arousal easily from the few feet of distance between them. He was upset with her for waking him up like this. He was upset with her for not packing enough of her own supplies. He was upset at her for not telling him what the situation was when she knew it was going to happen.

His own suppressor tab had worn off, and now he was upset that she hadn't just come to him to get what she needed. That very thought made him angry with himself, too. He wasn't an appropriate relief mate for her. Who else did she have, though?

This wasn't a well traveled road. It could be a couple days before anyone else came to this spot. They couldn't wait around to see if anyone acceptable would. She'd sit in misery, and they'd be more than a week late in getting home.

He felt the tightness in his pants, ready to go, and he loathed speaking his next words. If anyone found out, they'd both be harassed. Despite the situation, she would be blamed for bringing him down.

It would be said that she had done this on purpose. He would have to deal with comments about how young he liked his women even though she was an adult, a mother even.

He'd dealt with worse. She had, too, when she came home with Sarada.

"Sakura," he cought her attention. "I can give you what you need."

"No, it's okay," she muttered back. "I can deal with this."

"We need to rest so we can travel properly." Kakashi wasn't taking no for an answer. He unbuckled his belt, lifted his hips to pull his pants and underwear down, and settled again. "Come on. I don't want to be walking around like this all day tomorrow. I know you don't want to be clenching all day either."

Sakura stayed right where she was, eyeing him carefully. He turned his head to meet her eyes, silently telling her it would be okay. This wouldn't be the normal relief mating either of them were used to. There would be no kissing, no caressing, no soft words muttered between lovers. This would be more of a mastrubation.

"Fine," she grumbled, kicking her underwear off the rest of the way beside her shorts before coming over to him and straddling his hips.

She lowered herself slowly with a hiss. She was tighter than she normally would have been because she had let this go on so long.

Kakashi felt like he'd had the breath knocked out of him, hips jerking up into her, hands gripping her thighs. He had meant to let her control this, but his resolve was fading. The wet, velvet of her enveloping him was too good. It had been almost two years since he'd had sex of any kind. He nearly got off right then.

Sakura raised up a little, angling forward as she gripped his hands tightly. That had hurt a bit. She was far more sensitive than usual. She couldn't take anything other than gentleness at the moment. Just knowing they were connected physically like this was almost enough to bring her to a full high. Yet, she knew that high, once achieved, would not subside until she got enough of his fuids inside her body. She'd need him to get off at least twice before she could cool off. If she hadn't waited so long, it wouldn't be a problem.

She just couldn't get the words out to warn him. Her mouth fell open when he pulled her down again, filling her completely. He was contoling this now, pushing her up, pulling her back down as he snapped his hips upwards again. She couldn't breathe, the sensations crashing through her whole body. She was Compeltely aware of every speck of his skin on hers, but none more so than where their sexes met.

"You're so damn tight and hot," he breathed out, eyes shut tight as he strained against releasing too soon. He felt her fluids soaking him all the way down to his ass, showing just how much she needed this.

"Cum," she barely hissed. "I need... extra...."

"Wha?"

"Need... more than one... tonight."

"Fuck," he cursed, having just enough sense to understand. "Takes time."

"I... I know. Sorry."

If it were possible from this position, he would have thrust faster, but it didn't matter. His balls were already clenching, his release spouting up and out into her body in quick hot bursts. He lost the ability to help her up and down. Instead, she hovered in one spot, allowing him to rock his hips up and down until he was done.

He didn't have time to catch his breath. She let him slip out of her body before settling down again, her weight on his thighs as she pushed up his shirt, pressing hot, open mouthed hisses to his belly and trailing upward. She stopped at his nipples, paying extra attention there as her fingers trailed down his sides lightly. Under normal circumstances, that would have tickled. Right now, though, her touch only served to bring pleasurable shivers as he gasped for breath.

But, with every breath in, he was scenting her again. His arousal was building up again quickly, but his dick wasn't on board yet. Frustrated with the workings of his own body, he rolled them over onto their sides, caressing her hip, ass, and thigh.

"I'm working on it," he told her gently. "Just give me a little more time."

"It's starting to hurt," Sakura whimpered, pushing her crotch against his again, hooking a leg over his waist.

"I know." Kakashi rested his head over hers, wrapping her into a tight hug. He angled his head down, putting his nose right into her neck and taking a deep breath through his nose. Finally, he felt his dick start to respond. He put a hand under her shirt now, too, feeling her breast and rubbing a thumb over her nipple. Her moan sounded so damn good.

"I want to kiss you."

"No kissing," Kakashi put a finger to her lips. "It's too close to bonding. I'm going to help you until we get home, but we can't have a semi-permanent bond or an accidental true bond. You need to find your relief mate as soon as we get home."

"Damn it, Kakashi-"

He shut her up by rubbing a finger on her clit. He was closer again, thrusting lightly so that the tip of his hardening dick replaced his finger quickly. His hand kneaded at her ass again just before he put her on her back and entered her body once more. He wasn't fully hard at that second, but got there quickly.

This time didn't last as long. He reached his high first again. Her channel clamped down as the last few spurts left his body. She was crying, finally able to come back down to earth. He didn't know how long she had been dealing with this, but it was over for now.

He rolled them both back onto their sides, holding her close, cheek pressed to the top of her head. "Better now?"

"Thank you." Sakura nuzzled her face into his mask covered throat, clutching to the front of his shirt for dear life as her recipricating orgasm ebbed away.

He wanted to hold her there, sticky and messy and warm, but it wouldn't be right. "You ready to go back to your blanket now?"

"No." Sakura answered honestly.

"We need to clean up and get some real rest now."

"I know we should. I just want to hold you."

He messed up then. He pulled his blanket over them both and slowly fell asleep.


	2. I Decide

There was a side effect to post-coitous pheramones. They created a temporary bond like kissing did. That bond was what he was trying to avoid when he refused to kiss her and asked her to return to her own blankets for the night.

He had failed in keeping the distance between them the moment she took him into her body. He had failed in keeping as much distance as was left when he covered them up together, half naked, very vulnerable for the rest of the night.

Kakashi woke up hard again. He felt her need building before he felt his own body. She was still asleep. It didn't matter, though. He was going to give her a good wake up.

She woke up with him inside of her. Startled at first, she quickly clutched his hips and held on for the ride, gasping and murmuring in pleasure. This time, she reached her peak first, shuddering around him and milking his seed from his body as he followed her over the edge.

Getting his breathing under control, Kakashi cursed himself as he rolled off of her. "I should have asked your permission."

"Did you hear me protesting?" she muttered. "Besides, now we can make it farther down the road before I need you again."

"If we make it to the town, we're looking to see if they have something that you can take. This makes us vulnerable."

"We're in friendly territory." Sakura rolled her eyes. It had little effect coonsidering her eyes were still closed. "Nothing to worry about but ourselves."

He gave her the "you're an idiot" look as he reached into his bag for another packet of soap. It seemed that his mistrust and inability to fully relax outside of his own home would never leave. He had been put out in the battle field so young that he knew no such thing as peace even when it was all around.

Sakura curled up into his blankets, breathing in his scent. She knew she should probably go wash, too. The heat was already starting to make her sweat this early in the morning. Grumbling, she tossed off the blanket and went for her own clothes.

Of course, Pakkun had to say something.

"Do you intend to have his pup, too?"

"Has no one explained how this works for humans to you?" Sakura asked in return. "It's clear he doesn't want one, so there is no point in me keeping it. I already have a child to look after."

"I think you two would make a cute pup."

"I think you should keep those kind of opinions to yourself. Besides, if he wanted children, he would have had them by now."

"I've never seen him mate with someone he actually loved before."

"You probably never will, either."

Pakkun walked off, grumbling about idiots.

"I heard that!" Sakura groused in return. "We aren't lovers just because he's helping me out right now. When we get home, we are done with this sort of activity!"

Kakashi's chuckle from behind sounded completely innocent. "He has been trying to get me a child for years now, Sakura. Ignore him. He doesn't understand over population. I've tried explaining."

"He's trying to play match maker, too. Thinks you love me."

To that, he had no reply. Of course he loved her. He loved many people more deeply than they would ever know. He loved Naruo, Yamato, Gai, and even Iruka like brothers. Tsunade was like a mother, and Shizune like a sister. The few other women he tended to socialize with, he couldn't think of that way. He'd been too attracted to them all at some point or another when each had went into heat. He had mated with three of them now. Kurenai, Yukimi, and now Sakura. He loved them like dear friends. Only Kurenai had hit the friends with benefits mark, though. When it came to Sakura... He was upset with her for doing this to him.

He had wanted to keep seeing her as his cute, young, former student forever. It was hard to see her that way now that he'd had his dick inside of her. Even after she had returned home with a baby, he didn't see her as a woman. It was only now that he couldn't deny it any longer. Yes, he loved her. No, she wasn't an innocent child. Yes, he was upset with her. No, he didn't think he would ever forget her distinct heat scent ever again. What she had done through neglect was putting him at odds with himself on an instinctual level. He couldn't wait to get back home, let his own hormones fizzle out, and get things back to normal.

"He thinks humans only mate for love and just ignore their own heats and ruts until they find a life mate," Kakashi eventually spoke. "To dogs, mating is for the purpose of having puppies. They have to have a stabil life mate before they will have sexual encounters. Unlike humans who have ways to prevent or abort pregnancies, they take whatever litters they get and do their best. Even if it means some of them starving."

"There are still humans who live that way," Sakura reminded, repacking her bag except for a change of clothes and a towel.

"Don't remind me," Kakashi sighed.

He had seen places where birth control, heat suppressants, rut tabs, and abortion were either not accessable or considered evil. Men and children old enough to work tended farms or hunted every day. Women stayed at home with a brood of infants, pregnant within months of giving birth. Land was over worked, outlying areas over hunted. Crops failed and game became scarce, leaving the whole town to starve within a few generations. The families would scatter, start up in new locations, and destroy more, but never before many of their most vulnerable died of starvation and sickness.

For the most part, breeder towns like that were disappearing. People went to them with medical supplies, helping those who would finally allow it. For a while, there was a man who went to these towns and solved the problem by surgery for those who had three or more children. He would remove a woman's ovaries, or tie a man's tubes. Someone else tried doing that, but their procedures were more mutilations than anything. Both were arrested, charged, convicted, and executed for the second man's crimes.

"What is it?" Sakura broke him from his thoughts.

"Nothing," he shook his head to clear his mind. "Hurry up. We need to get moving again."

.

.........................................................................................................................................

.

Sakura's speed had picked up initially. They were making good time. A light rain cooled them off, but the sun was quick to return. The heat was hitting them both hard, slowing them again. In pique condition with less humidity, the time to the next town would have been about three hours at a hard run. They had been moving for five hours now, and there were roofs visible over the next hill.

Her scent was spiking again. It had been six hours since they'd woken up fucking. From what he had seen the day before, she probably had another two or three hours to go before pain became a factor again. As he needs grew, her labia and clitoris would swell a bit, become more sensitive. She wouldn't be able to keep running much longer.

As it was, her scent was doing things to him again. His dick was starting to get a little stiffer at the base. He had that tight warmth in his gut. And that damn voice was back in his mind, the one that wanted to be dirty all the damn time. He wanted her to take off her shit this time. He wanted to graze on her nipples. He wanted to make her wait for his cum by eating her out first.

Kakashi wanted to be at home with a book in peace and relaxation away from her. He didn't want her to get attached. He didn't want to boot her regular relief mate out of her life. That would be an affront to the other guy, one that would possibly be met with a physical fight. Kakashi just wanted to deliver her home so she could call him up and let him get his seasonal sex as soon as possible.

"Okay, stop," Kakashi put a hand on Sakura's shoulder. The sting of discomfort was already creasing her eyes a bit. He felt bad for not stopping them sooner. Just because they could see the town didn't mean it wasn't still a good distance away. He didn't think he would make it, let alone her.

"What is it?" Sakura questioned, annoyed. "We need to get to that town and hit a pharmacy."

"I'm not going to make it that long, unfortunately," he gestured to his pants where his dick was already starting to make an impression. "Neither are you."

"Excuse me?" she raised a brow.

"Sakura, we slept skin to skin last night. I... I can feel it a bit."

Sakura blushed, understanding. They had a temporary bond because of the prolonged close quarters and pheromones blending. He could pick up on more than her obvious scent now. Now, he could tell exactly what level of arousal she was in at any moment. Mating bonds were extremely intimate at any level, and very private things were revealed beyond amount of physical arousal through them. In this case, he wasn't even at the level of her relief mate, but close enough. While she couldn't automatically tell what state he was in, he could with her. This was not something she really wanted to let happen, but it happened anyway.

"We shouldn't go any closer until we're clear headed and fed. It may take some time to find what you need and a place to stay for the night." Kakashi reminded.

"Why would we stay the night?"

"In case we can't find any pills you can use. What if you think you found something but it's mislabeled and you're allergic? I want you to be okay to travel properly."

Sakura smiled and gave him a little wink, "Pakkun may have been right after all. You do love me."

I never said I didn't. He thought to himself, leading them a little ways off the road again. The stream they had stopped at the night before connected to the river a few yards away from where they were now. The river was large, wide, and noisy enough to cover any sound they might make. There weren't that many trees in this area, but there were tall grasses and shrubs they could use to hide their bare behinds from the road.

Kakashi dropped his bag beside a tall stump near the river, glad to have found something to lean on for the moment as he sat down and looked out over the water. Despite the fact that it would be quicker to just yank down their pants, stroke himself to full hardness, shove inside her body, cum, then dress again and move on, he did want to give her some decency. This was his team mate, his friend, a real person with a real body and real feelings. She wasn't just some toy or tool to use and discard. He did care about her, even if he didn't like the fact that it was her who had him so damn horny for no reason other than biology at work.

Kakashi sat there and waited. He knew she would come to him or drag him over when she stopped worrying over everything. He had told her he had bonded to her, even as low level as it was. It reminded her that she had a normal relief mate at home who would smell Kakashi on her when she got back. He wouldn't just smell the older male, he'd feel remnants of his semen inside of her. What she and Kakashi were doing would be taken as a personal attack by him. There would, at the very least, be a verbal altercation. She dreaded it. No matter how much she or anybody else could reasonably explain the need for this, he would be in rut and extremely posessive and angry with Kakashi, finding reasons Kakashi should have been able to get her home sooner, not to have touched her in the first place.

At least it wouldn't be Sasuke.

But, this would make her relief mate public knowledge, most likely. She didn't want that. If it happened, though, she would have to didtch him and find someone else. Finding someone else was hard these days. Most people her age already had a life mate and a relief mate. She knew Kakashi had regularly been acting as someone's relief mate for years. How would that woman feal about this? Would she be as angry with Sakura for using Kakashi as Sakura's relief mate would be with Kakashi?

"You're thinking too hard, Sakura. What is wrong?"

"Our mates are going to be so angry with us," Sakura admitted her worry, sitting down on top of her own bag carefully. Yes, she was getting sore, he was right. "I'm going to have to find another one. Yours might come after me and try to start something..."

"I haven't been someone else's relief mate in about a year now," Kakashi answered. "She found a new life mate and no longer has need of me. As far as yours, why would you have to find another? Does he not expect you to have at least one other mate for when he is not around?"

"No, he doesn't," Sakura replied honestly. "He was jealous that I had Sarada and wouldn't give him a child. He wants to be my life mate, but I don't want that. He's tried moving in a couple times without my permission."

"It sounds like you've needed a new relief mate for a while now." Kakashi didn't like how this was going. Sometimes a relief mate would use the woman's heat as an excuse to push his way though the door and claim her for himself whether or not she had a life mate to challenge along the way. This happened to kunoichi far more than to civilian women because kunoichi tended only to marry their male counter parts whom would be away on missions, thus opening the need for a relief mate in the first place. "Tell me, is he a civilian or a shinobi?"

"That's none of your business." Sakura retorted.

"It is now," Kakashi pinned her with a little glare. "That isn't the way a relief mate should behave. I don't care if he gives you mind blowing sex instead of what I've given you, he doesn't have the right to try and push himself on you. He's supposed to be there to support you and help you, not dominate you when you're weak. Not even a life mate gets that right. Not ever. Especially not with one of my friends."

"And what if it were one of your friends doing that to a woman?"

"Is it?"

"Yes." The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "I mean... You know him. You seem to get along. I shouldn't have said that..."

There was only one possibility Kakashi could think of that Sakura could be describing. Sure, he knew two guys who might be a bit over bearing as relief mates, but only one that she might actually have sex with. It wouldn't be the first time they had a temporary falling out over a woman either. "Genma. Huh. I guess he needs to relearn that lesson."

"It's not Genma-san," Sakura assured. "I wouldn't have him. He offered, but just... no."

Kakashi's eyes widened in shock, "Gai?"

"Eew! NO!"

Kakashi's hand was over his heart, head leaned back. "Thank Kami. Although, I was kind of hoping he'd finally figured out how to treat a lady."

"I don't think he could ever attract one."

"You know that if I hadn't showed up when I did, you'd be on this mission with him, right?"

Sakura shuddered.

"What would you have done then?"

"I wouldn't have had to worry about it. He'd probably just load me up on his back and ran the whole way home in one go."

"If you think even he can do that with a hard on, you're over estimating his resolve. He's big enough to make Naruto look like a eunich."

"From what I've been told by Sai, a pencil makes Naruto's dick look small," Sakura snorted. "I know I shouldn't laugh."

"He's not actually tiny in that department," Kakashi waved her off. "He's just the smallest guy on the team. They tease him because it's fun, not because it's true."

"I figured," Sakura looked back at him. "I happen to know who he is a relief mate for, and she said he's bigger than her last one and equal to her life mate. Wait... how did we get from taking a moment to fuck to talking about Naruto's dick? That's not right."

"You needed a break from the situation," Kakashi smiled at her. "I meant it, though. Whoever your relief mate is is here-by relieved of their duties to you. I don't care if he is my friend or not. You deserve better."

"You mean I deserve someone cold and straight to the point. He thinks I deserve better than to be left alone except when I'm in heat. Do you understand? He thinks it would be good for me to have a life mate, so that I don't have such rough heats. He thinks that he might as well step into that role since I'm not even looking for anyone else. I sent him mixed signals on accident."

"Telling him no the first time should have made things clear enough."

"I want more than someone to get off inside of me a few times a day for a couple weeks every few months. I know that may be what you're used to doing, but your mate probably only had to use you on occasion. I want something in between a relief mate and a life mate."

"You need a lover and your autonomy equally."

"Exactly. And I want him to be the same on that." Sakura shifte a little, uncomfortably. "Right now, I just need whatever you can give me, even if it's cold and to the point."

"I can be warm." Kakashi was offended by the accusation, understanding now that she had put that out there twice already.

"If you mean metabolically, yes," Sakura rolled her eyes. "You do put off a bit more heat than the average person when you're asleep."

"I thought it best we keep our professionalism as intact as possible."

"So, you're saying, if we were not working at the moment, you'd actually do more for me? Sexually?" She didn't believe he could agree to that.

"I know someone who can. Do you remember Sukea? I happen to know he's moving to Konoha permanantly." Kakashi felt like he was going to rot in hell for this. If she ever ever found out who Sukea really was and didn't like the outcome, she'd probably castrate him. "I can speak to him for you, see what he thinks."

Sakura laughed, moving to sit beside him, the need to touch another person too great to resist. "I might be interested, but I doubt he will. The last time we met, I was maybe fourteen. He had to be in his twenties already. He wouldn't be so bold as to become a relief mate to someone so much younger."

"With your status, nobody would dare call either one of you out on it." Kakashi took off his gloves, laying a hand on her thigh. He couldn't resist touching her either. "Everybody who knows anything about you would know to keep their mouth shut. Besides, he's former ANBU and perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

"He is former ANBU. If I remember, he retired from being a ninja all together. What's to say he hasn't let himself go since then?"

"Even former ANBU who leave the service completely are never really out, Sakura. I have been recalled to those missions a few times by Tsunade-sama even though I left ANBU three years before we met."

"But you didn't quit being a shinobi."

"He wouldn't risk not being prepared."

"He wasn't even in the war with us."

"He was with us the whole time."

"I don't care about that right now."

"Me neither."

Sakura reached for his belt buckle about the same time he trailed his hand up, putting his fingers into her shorts. He pulled away to get his pants and underwear down while she stripped her bottoms again. It didn't matter that their conversation was far less than fore play, she physically needed this, and his body was willing to provide. This whole time, they could have carried on a conversation about the weather and having sex in the same moment. The only reason he didn't go ahead and do that was because his curiosity had kicked in. Then his selfishness did, too.

He was going to find out who her relief mate was one way or another, then put himself in the jack ass' place by way of a fake identity. He would learn her wants and needs, have her to himself for a while, then present her with someone he approved of in her own age range before she figured out the ruse.

His mind los track when she gripped his shaft with one hand. This wasn't part of the deal. Right here and now, he was just supposed to satisfy her needs, not dally in his wants.

"What the fuck are you doing," he breathed out, but it was too late. Her lips were on the head of his dick, her tongue flicking at his opening. His jaw dropped as he let out a little grunt of pleasure. She was stroking him now, both his shaft and his thigh, as she pressed several more small kisses around the area, trailing a few from the hairline at his groin up to his belly. He ran his fingers through her hair then gripped to stop her when she started making her way up to his chest, pushing his shirt up along the way. "Stop. No. Don't do that. That's not what I signed on for."

"You clearly like it," Sakura reminded, sighing as she let his shirt fall again.

"Yes, I do." Kakashi ran a finger over her cheek, smothed out her hair. "I love it. I am not asking that of you, though. I'm just trying to help you not be in pain for a while. So, please, take what you need from me. We don't have time to enjoy. Not today."

Sakura pouted a little. Unlike the night before, she wasn't in despirate need, just a good deal of discomfort. She wanted to take her time and enjoy this, making sure he did, too. It seemed, though, he just wanted for them to do as little as possible as quickly as possible. He just didn't want her like this, and she had to remember that it wasn't right for her to want him either.

Cold. To the point.

"I promise to give you more of what you want when we get a room."

"You had better. And I want to see your face."

"No. That's one of my absolutes."

"Fine," she growled, then crawled up his lap to ease herself down, taking him inside of her body with a hiss. "You're bigger this time."

"Your fault for touching me like that." She could hear the smile in his voice right before he rolled them over, putting her on her back.

She arched up as he slowly began to thrust, meeting his eyes in a bit of a staring contest. His fingers interlaced with hers to either side of her head, daring her to push back against his weight. She didn't care. He wasn't going deep enough for her. She hooked her legs over his back and gained more leverage. The new position forced him to let go of her hands and move his down by her shoulders. Now she was free to touch him, to run her hands up his sides, through his hair, hook a finger in his mask.

Kakashi dipped his head away, breaking eye contact as he nearly pulled out of her. "I said no, Sakura. If you don't stop, you'll have to get one of the locals to do this for you tonight."

"I don't even have to see..."

"No, Sakura." He started moving again, keeping an even pace and putting his forehead to hers.

He knew he'd hit her sweet spot, finally, when she arched up with a gasp. Happy now that she wouldn't try for his mask again, he hammered down onto that spot, that angle, over and over. She was crying out, whether it was for mercy or pure pleasure, he didn't know. It didn't matter, she was gripping him inside, harder, in waves, as she crashed into orgasm. He brought himself up a little, pulled out and flipped her over to her belly before re-entering and driving himself inside again, getting the angles and speed he needed to release.

Sakura felt his weight on her back after a few seconds of trying to catch her breath. His heart was beating hard against her, his breath shuddering a little. He had put a lot of effort into it this time, getting them both there as quickly as possible.

"Don't ever go for my mask again," he warned. "That is my line. I decide whether or not to take it off. I decide whether or not to kiss you."


	3. Not Any More

Sakura couldn't wait to get the eyes off of her as they made their way through the town looking for a pharmacy. Everyone could smell her heat. Everyone could smell that he'd been in rut nearly as long as she had been in heat. They knew he was helping her through it, and that they shouldn't say anything.

The problem with that was the fact that they were so high profile and in home territory. Everyone recognized them, and most knew what their official relationship was. Young women shot her jealous looks. Old women were looking at him like he was filth. Young men were looking like they wanted to try something, but were too scared to step up against the great Copy Nin. Older men rolled their eyes and muttered to one another about how they wished they were in Kakashi's place, but didn't have the sex drive any more. Children's interests were piqued by the strong scents, and confused by their elder's reactions.

Then things got worse.

Yamanaka Santa, Nara Ensui, and Tatami Iwashi were here, too.

Seeing them up ahead, Sakura grabbed Kakashi's shirt sleeve and pulled him down a different street. "Come on, we should try this way."

"But, the woman said it was that way," Kakashi pulled them to a stop. "And we have friends ahead."

"Yes, we do. That's why we need to get going this way instead." Sakura tried again to pull him in the new direction, but he held fast.

"I'm sure they will understand, Sakura."

"I'm sure one of them certainly won't."

Kakashi's eyes widened, realizing what she meant. A fight in the streets of a fully civiian town was not what they needed right now. However, the woman said the only pharmacy around was on the other side of those three. Taking the long way would probably be best after all.

"Hey, Kakashi-san! Sakura!"

They were caught. Time to put on brave, innocent faces, and meet the confrontation head on. They both sorely hoped it stayed verbal.

"Hi guys," Sakura put on a smile as she and Kakashi faced them. "What brings you here?"  
Kakashi tried not to roll his eyes or put his palm to his face. What a way to not be suspicious!  
The three stopped short. One of them was looking like he intended to come up and hug Sakura, but his head whipped straight to Kakashi, angry.

"What's going on?" Santa looked between the two men currently in a staring contest carefully. Santa wasn't like the rest of them. He was the rare Beta who wasn't affected by the scent of a heat or a rut. He just didn't get why people got so worked up over them.

"We may have to restrain them for a while," Ensui answered, "to keep them from destroying the buildings here. Sakura-san is in unsuppressed heat."

Iwashi took a step back from Kakashi, putting his hand on Sakura's shoulder and painting a fake smile on his face. "Thank you for temporarily stepping in for me, Hatake-sama. I am happy to take Sakura back now."

"Sakura," Kakashi refused to speak to the other man, "just remember what I told you earlier. I will speak with Sukea for you. In the mean time, if any more of what you mentioned happens, let me know. I will be glad to settle the issue more directly if need be."

"Iwashi, we were going to see if they had anything in the pharmacy I could use," Sakura informed. "So, I guess you are going to come with me now. Right?"

"Of course, love," Iwashi smiled at her, daring to turn his back to Kakashi as they walked off.

"I'll see you back in Konoha, Kakashi," Sakura called out over her shoulder quickly.

Kakashi watched as Iwashi pulled her around again, almost roughly, as they left him, Santa, and Ensui behind. Kakashi wanted to put his fist through Iwashi's face just for calling Sakura "love" the way he did. It was like the man had no regard for his position with her, that she was only tollerating him because she thought she had no other options. Soon, the shithead would learn otherwise. Kakashi would see to it.

"Hey, it's her choice," Ensui sighed, still keeping a respectable distance from Kakashi. He had felt the pull to try and claim Sakura away as well, but he damn sure wasn't going to get between those two. He had a life mate and a woman he relieved. Even contemplating a third was bad business, especially when it was his senpai and his team mate who were already involved with the woman in question. "I thought he was just her relief mate, though."

"He is," Kakashi forced out. "He needs to be reminded of that."

"That's her job, isn't it?"

"She thinks there's nobody else she can use," Kakashi informed. "I don't really know anyone else, myself."

"Then who is Sukea?"

"A good friend willing to be a stop-gap measure. Iwashi is trying to force himself on her as her life mate."

"Is'nt Uchiha Sasuke her life mate already?" Santa spoke up, sensing that the danger had fully passed. "She has his child."

"She doesn't want a life mate right now." Kakashi finally relaxed a little. He started to feel a little more clear headded now that Sakura wasn't in scenting range.  
.  
................................................................................................  
.  
It didn't seem to matter that they actually had medication Sakura could take. Iwashi was angry at smelling Kakashi on her. He made sure to let her take her tab, but started backing her to the bed in his room right when they walked through the door. His mouth was on hers, hands stripping her of her clothing and caressing her breasts and sides a bit rougher than usual. He nipped at her throat, finding the point where her scent glands produced the most and suckling.

Sakura almost gave in. Almost.

She loved the full attention to her body that he provided. She just didn't like how much he was insisting on bonding right now. Logic overriding instinct for a change, Sakura shoved him away.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Iwashi?" Sakura set an angry glare at him. "I told you no!"

"Your daughter needs a proper father figure, and you need someone like me around, too," Iwashi growled out. "Since her father wasn't good enough, I should be. I can raise her in his place and provide you with what you need. Why are you holding out?"

"I don't want you like that!" Sakura nearly shouted at him. "I don't want to be your house wife!"

"I wouldn't stop you from working in the hospital-"

"You want a brood mare!"

"I never said that!"

"You tried giving me a placebo abortion pill last year!" Sakura chucked a glass at him. "You don't respect me at all! I was still breast feeding Sarada! You were trying to push me to make your child priority over the one I already have! And now? Now you dared to talk to me like that in front of my taichou! You didn't even give me a moment to breathe after we got here!"

"He should have never touched you-"

"I needed him to! He only did what he had to to make sure we even got here in the first place!"

"I am your mate, not him!"

"Not any more!" Sakura pulled on her sports bra and picked up her shirt, marching right up to the door where he stood. "Let me out."

"You still need me." Iwashi stared down at her, smiling with pride in the knowledge she didn't have anyone else who would have sex with her like he would. Most relief mates just did the deed and left until later the same day. He stuck around, made her feel wanted.

"Actually, I don't. There's a whole town full of people out here. We're on our way home where there is a bigger selection."

"They won't treat you like I have."

"I'll still get what I need. Now move!"

He stood there, still looking down on her as if she were a piece of meat.

"Move or I'll break you."

He smiled.

Truely angry now, she lashed out towards his throat. Of course, he dodged her hand and stood back in place. Like Kakashi, he was just slightly faster than her.

"I said you're not my mate any longer. I have that right, and you must let me out!"

One of the side effects to the kind of suppressants Sakura took was that chakra was far slower to rise and much weaker in use. Iwashi knew this and took advantage of it on occasion. Right now looked like it would be one of those times.

.  
.......................................................................................  
.

Santa heard the ruckus first. Furniture hitting a wall, a muffled curse, a high pitched "no." The male shouted in pain after that. Then he laughed. There was another thud, this time sounding more like a body hitting the floor.

Santa was the first one through the door, but not the first one to act. Ensui had Iwashi bound with shadows quickly. Kakashi had his hands around his throat a half second later. It seemed only Santa noticed that Sakura wasn't conscioius.

Santa cut the ropes tied from the desk legs to Sakura's arms and rolled her to her side, checking her pulse and breathing. She had multiple bruises forming, and a nasty goose egg on her fore head.

"Guys, she needs medical attention," Santa warned. "She's breathing, but her heart is erratic. Guys?"

The blond man looked over his shoulder to see that Iwahi's face was purple. Kakashi wasn't letting go, and neither was Ensui. He jumped away from Sakura and knocked Kakashi to the side, breaking the other man's hold.

"We can deal with him later!" Santa yelled at him. "She needs help!"


End file.
